The First Light of Dawn
by lilsk
Summary: Takes place two years after Hermione graduates from Hogwarts. Hermione returns to her former school to assist Professor Snape with his potions. Hermione/Snape romance. Chapter 7 up!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters. I only wish I did.  
  
Note to readers: This is my first attempt at a story, so please be easy on me. Also, I would love to receive any reviews, so please leave many. Thank you so much!  
  
The first light of dawn was creeping inside the bedroom window of an attractive, and quite large, apartment. The building sat comfortably in the outskirts of London, and although it was invisible to the eye of a muggle, any witch or wizard could plainly see the extremely tall building there on Nettleforth Avenue. Inside the corner apartment on the 7th floor, a witch named Hermione Granger was just waking up to an alarm clock that she had bewitched to both talk and sing.  
  
Hermione sighed and stretched as she woke up, stepping into her bathroom, which was painted white, as well as gold and crimson, the signature colors of her former house at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry, Gryffindor. She had graduated from the place two years back, and had almost immediately been hired at the Ministry of Magic, where she now worked directly under the new Minister, Arthur Weasley. As she felt the warm water cascade down her back, Hermione thought of the circumstances that had allowed Arthur to become such a prominent man in the wizarding world. Her best friends, Harry Potter and Ron Weasley, had grown up with her at Hogwarts, and the three of them seemed to have a knack for finding trouble and facing the Dark Lord Voldemort nearly every year while they were there. During her final year at Hogwarts, she and Ron both helped Harry fulfill the prophecy that had been made before he was born, and Voldemort was defeated. Although most of the Death Eaters had committed suicide after the death of their Lord, any that remained had been sentenced to the Dementor's kiss, and were now spending the rest of their soul-free lives in Azkaban. Cornelius Fudge, Britain's former Minister of Magic, had been murdered by Lord Voldemort during the last days of his power, and Arthur Weasley, having shown outstanding courage as a member of the Order of the Phoenix, was asked to take his place. Under his recommendation, Harry and Ron had both been given jobs as Aurors, and Hermione as his personal assistant. Although she was quite fond of Mr. Weasley, and did enjoy her job, it wasn't to say that she didn't miss her days at Hogwarts.  
  
After this brief bout of reminiscence, Hermione stepped out of the shower and continued getting ready for work, dressing in her robes, and then apparating to the Ministry of Magic. After a long day at work, she disapparated and immediately appeared back at her home, hungry and exhausted from the day's activities. As she walked past the end table by her door, Hermione noticed an envelope addressed to her that had been left there by her owl, Wispen. She took a moment to look at the loopy handwriting, and the emerald green ink before opening it, and reading it through, twice. The letter was from Albus Dumbledore, requesting that she take up a job at Hogwarts, and saying that although she already was settled in at the ministry, her intellectual presence was greatly desired at her former school as well. He asked her to please contact him as soon as possibly, preferably by means of floo. Without a moment of hesitation, Hermione immediately walked over to her fireplace, tossing a handful of the powder into it and calling out the name of her destination. She then found her head inside the fireplace in Dumbledore's office, and face to face with her old headmaster. Dumbledore smiled, looking at the beautiful young woman Miss Granger had become, a feeling of pride filling his heart as he thought of all her achievements. "Good evening, Miss Granger, I trust you are well?" he asked her, in the soothing voice that made her smile every time she saw him.  
  
"Yes, sir, I am doing very well, thank you. I am here in response to the letter from you that I received earlier today. If I should choose to accept this job offer, what will I be doing here at Hogwarts? Do you want me to teach?"  
  
Dumbledore gave her the knowing smile that she had seen him give so many times during her days as a school girl there. "This position is that of a potion's mistress. Professor Snape is working very hard at many extremely difficult potions, as well as teaching his classes, and will be needing assistance this year. It seems that right now he is reluctant to receive any help whatsoever, but has finally been persuaded by me to not outdo himself this year with too much work. I know, Miss Granger, that you are not particularly fond of Snape, but I have a distinct feeling that the two of you might just get along better than you may believe to be possible. I do, of course, know that you currently have a very respectable job at the Ministry of Magic as the personal assistant to Minister Arthur Weasley, and I would understand if you did not wish to give that up. However, I ask you to take this offer into some consideration, and get back to me before the start of term in three weeks."  
  
"Thank you for your offer Professor, and I can of course assure you that I will take it into consideration. I must be getting back to my apartment now, but I will be sure to contact you soon. Good evening." After Dumbledore had also wished her goodbye, Hermione appeared back inside her apartment, and sat down, quite hard, on her sofa. Her head seemed to be on the verge of exploding with thoughts about this job offering. As tempting as the thought of going back to Hogwarts was, it was true that she did have a very nice job here, and did not wish to offend Mr. Weasley by resigning from her position. Also, the job she would be accepting at Hogwarts was with Professor Snape, who had been her least favorite teacher during the time she spent there, with the obvious exception of Professor Trelawney. Yes, thought Hermione, this offer would certainly need to be thought over. Her mind then turned to another comment that Dumbledore had made in his office. He had said that he felt she and Snape would get along much better than they had believed possible. Although Hermione knew that Professor Dumbledore was extremely intuitive, she did not know how she could possibly learn to work and get along with the Professor who had humiliated her so many times during her childhood.  
After going over every option in her head what seemed to be a million times, Hermione finally went to bed, thinking that a good night's sleep would do her good. However, even as she began to drift into slumber, thoughts of Professor Snape and being back at Hogwarts did not disappear from her mind. 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters. JK Rowling does, and I am eternally jealous of her.  
  
Hermione gave a quick glance around her as she walked briskly towards to the brick barrier between Platforms 9 and 10 at the King's Cross Train Station in London. It had been three weeks since Dumbledore had asked her to accept the position as Potion's mistress at Hogwarts, and after many days spent fretting and sleepless nights, she had finally decided to take up the position. Of course, she had discussed the situation with Harry and Ron first, and spent a particularly long time talking it over with Ginny. Since her introduction to the Weasley family during her first year at Hogwarts, she had been so close to Ginny that they could be sisters, and Mrs. Weasley often posed as a surrogate mother as well. Not that there was anything wrong with her own parents, of course, but they were Muggles and therefore didn't know much about the wizarding world, though they did try to learn as much as possible about it. She also took the time to discuss Dumbledore's offer with Mr. Weasley, and he seemed to think that taking the position would be good for her. Harry and Ron had been somewhat hesitant about the fact that she would have to work with Snape, claiming that they would rather have themselves subjected to the Cruciatus curse than work with the "bloody git". However, they agreed to support Hermione in whatever decision he made, though Ron claimed that if Snape so much as raised his voice to her, he would come and hex him 5 different ways.  
Now it was the day before the start of term, and Hermione was taking the Hogwarts Express to school so that she might get settled in before the students came. Once she arrived at the Hogsmeade station, she decided to walk to the school rather than taking one of the carriages that had been offered to her there. It had been so long since she had been up at the castle that she had rather forgotten how beautiful it was, and it was a gorgeous day. Once she arrived at Hogwarts, she was met at the door by Albus Dumbledore. "Good afternoon Miss Granger! How are you?" he asked in a pleasant voice, his eyes twinkling just as they had before.  
"I'm quite well," answered Hermione. Just being back inside the school made her heart race, she had many pleasant memories of the castle. "And you?"  
"I'm getting along tolerably. Please allow me to take you to your rooms, I'm sure you would like to get settled in," Dumbledore answered, offering her his arm, which she took gladly.  
"Thank you, Professor Dumbledore."  
"Oh, please call me Albus; I am no longer your Professor. I'm sure the other staff members feel the same way."  
"Alright". Hermione watched as Albus led her down a hallway she had never been in before. After making several turns and going down two flights of stairs, the pair finally stopped outside a large painting of a ballet dancer.  
"These will be your chambers from now on. I hope you find them suitable, and if you need anything, you can of course call upon me or any of the other teachers. You are allowed to pick your password, and you will be asked to change it every month"  
"I'm sure the room will be very nice. Hmm.what will I make my password?" Hermione wondered out loud. "I suppose it will be 'daystar', as that was the name of the house I lived in as a child. Yes, that will do". Once Hermione repeated her password, the door swung open to reveal an absolutely enormous room. The walls were painted a rich ivory color, and it was decorated with cushy red arm chairs and a gold border along the walls, at least the part of the wall that wasn't covered with books. Bookshelves of all sorts covered almost every inch of the room, and Hermione gazed around it in sheer delight. She turned back to Dumbledore. "I love it!" she gasped. "It is absolutely perfect."  
"I am glad that you find it accommodating. If you wish, I will leave you to settle in now," he answered, and with a smile, left the room.  
Hermione walked through the door on the other side of sitting room, and found herself inside what was to be her bed chambers. That room was painted the same color as the sitting room, but the bed was dressed in gold covers instead of the red furnishings in the other room. Her bathroom was painted in gold, with crimson and gold tiles, and red towels. There was an enormous bath, a toilet of course, a golden sink, and a vanity with a mirror above it. Hermione smiled at the effort that must have taken place by someone (house elves, no doubt) to make this room comfortable to her. It was certainly the most Gryffindor room that she had ever seen. Quickly, she opened her trunk that contained all of her clothes, and with a simple flick of her wand, they flew into her magnificent wardrobe. About an hour later, she emerged from her room and wondered around through the hallway. She was in an area of the castle that she had never been in before, and it was truly fascinating. She noticed one door that did not have a portrait over it, it looked like another classroom. Curiosity took over her, and she opened the door and walked inside.  
"Are you lost, Miss Granger?" asked a cold, sarcastic voice that she had heard many times before. Across the room stood her former Professor, Severus Snape. He looked at her with a sneering expression, one that was by no means unfamiliar to her and instead of backing down in fear like most people did, Hermione stood up straighter, and walked briskly and confidently towards him.  
"No, I am not lost. I just got here earlier this morning, and since I have never been in this part of the castle, I was eager to explore it. Although I must say that if I did meet anyone, I was hoping that they would have slightly better manners," she answered coldly. "After all, we are supposed to be working together now, and I think it would add quite a lot to the working environment if you could try to be more polite."  
"You forget, Miss Granger, that it was not I that wanted a working partner. I still feel that I would be fine on my own; I do not need or require help or company, let alone from an insufferable know-it-all like you. Yes, I see that you have not changed, nor are you likely to. I'm surprised that by now you do not have your hand up waving in the air, desperate to share you arrogance and intelligence with me, knowing full well that I do not care to hear anything you have to say. You may leave now," he said, his face colder than ever.  
Hermione turned on her heel and left the room, careful not to show that her confidence was fading. She walked back into her chambers, and threw herself down on the bed, wondering how this arrangement was ever going to work out. 


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer - I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters. Therefore, my name is not JK Rowling.  
  
Note to Readers: PLEASE review. Please? Please please please? Thank you.  
  
On to Chapter 3.  
  
Hermione awoke early the next morning, but instead of getting up as she usually would, lying in bed seemed like a much better option at the time. As the events of the previous night flooded her memory, Hermione laid still in her bed, desperately trying to think of a way to get Snape to tolerate her presence and possibly even respect her. Hermione knew that if she was quiet and left him alone as much as possible, he would grudgingly tolerate her, but she wanted so much more than the bare minimum of existence with him. No, the only way that she could possibly ever gain his respect was if she showed him some, and yet did not let her confidence waiver even for one moment in his presence.  
  
Having decided on that issue, Hermione got out of bed and hurried into the shower, eager to make the most of the day. As she dressed in her robes and magically dried her hair, Hermione went over in her mind the way that she would act around Snape, analyzing every detail of what would take place between them. Once she was content with her appearance, Hermione stepped out of her room and into the corridor, walking decidedly towards the Great Hall to eat breakfast, privately hoping she would not encounter Snape until a later time in the day, knowing very well that she could not put off the occasion forever.  
  
Breakfast went by smoothly; it was quite enjoyable if the truth be told. Hermione was flooded with memories as she saw again her former Professors, most of whom she had not seen since her graduation. Snape did not grace them, or disgrace as the case may be, with his presence, and therefore another awkward meeting was postponed. Hermione knew that she would have to go see him immediately after breakfast, especially once that Dumbledore had openly hinted that perhaps it might be wise for the partners to get started on their work as soon as possible. Once she had finished eating, Hermione excused herself and walked towards the dungeons, knowing that she could not procrastinate any longer. Acting a little bit more confident than she felt, she knocked on the door of the potions lab that she had found Snape working in the day before.  
  
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Severus Snape stood in his Potions lab, silently fuming at the thought of having to work with that Gryffindor know-it-all. He had been appalled when Dumbledore had suggested that he work with a partner, and he still hadn't completely stomached the issue. However, even Snape knew that Dumbledore was not a man to be argued with, and reluctantly agreed to take on a partner, under 3 conditions. First, whoever he hired had to be intelligent; he was NOT going to work with any dunderheads, which was a category most people knew had fallen into. Dumbledore said that he was not intending to hire anybody who did not rise to the highest standards of intelligence. Also, Snape wanted somebody sensible and level-headed, and somebody who did not constantly talk. Severus hated talkers.he had had too much experience with idiots who just wouldn't shut up. How was one supposed to concentrate on work when the person next to them was overly fascinated with the sound of their own voice? When Dumbledore had come into his lab the day before and informed him that the Potions mistress he had hired was Granger, Snape had nearly lost it. Although he had to admit that the girl certainly was intelligent, her behavior during her school years was far from sensible, and all that girl ever did was raise her hand and talk. And talk. And talk some more. She had questions about everything, a characteristic that truly bothered him.  
  
However, Snape thought, perhaps the girl had grown up somewhat since her graduation from Hogwarts. When she walked into the Potions lab yesterday, she didn't seem afraid of him - as a matter of fact, her behavior had been somewhat defiant. That bothered him much more than a person who was afraid of him, as he purposely tried to intimidate people into leaving him alone. The fact that she had been able to overcome her fear stirred an emotion inside of him that he hadn't felt before. After putting some thought into it, Severus decided to pass it off as just another form of anger.but a small part of him knew that the feeling was somewhat closer to being impressed by her confidence. Determined never to let that come out, he resolved to be as harsh and cold to her as ever.she would be intimidated by him again, and would learn not to interfere. Perhaps she'd even leave, and he would alone in his solitude again.completely alone. The thought of solitude didn't really comfort him, but it was something he was used to, and Severus was a man who despised change when it came to his life. He always had, and always would.  
  
Having sorted out those feelings, Severus began preparations for the potion he and that Granger girl would be starting this afternoon. Eventually he heard a gentle knock on the door. The pensive expression he had previously worn disappeared and was quickly replaced by the usual seething expression. "Come in"  
  
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"Come in". Hearing the cold expression, Hermione opened the door and walked into the room, straight over to the table where Snape was setting up the ingredients for his latest potion. "Good morning," she said, not exactly cheerfully, but pleasantly at least. Snape simply looked at her.  
  
"Today we will be starting work on a very complicated potion called 'Memondorian'. If my research is correct, it will be used to restore the memory back to patients who have lost theirs, and will come in quite handy at St. Mungo's. However, the ingredients we will be using are extremely dangerous, and if the potion is made incorrectly, we are not quite sure what could happen. Therefore, Miss Granger, I advise you to pay attention to all of the ingredients and the amount that needs to be used, as well as the stirring directions. It would be a.tragedy..if you were to be injured on the job here," said Snape in an extremely sarcastic tone.  
  
Calmly, Hermione nodded and answered, "I will, of course, use the utmost caution when I am working here. Thank you for your concern. Shall we get started now?"  
  
Snape was slightly disappointed with her answer, if the truth be told, he was rather hoping that she would look slightly uneasy with his words, or angered, or something.certainly not as calm as she had seemed be. Either of his preferred reactions would have settled his worries somewhat, his worries that perhaps she was not afraid of him anymore. Quickly he turned around and handed her a list of ingredients and directions for the potions. "I would like to get the first two steps done today before the students arrive. Then we could continue tomorrow after classes are over. Dumbledore did tell you, of course, that while I am teaching classes, you will be helping Madame Pomfrey with her tiresome job of helping idiot students who accidentally hexed themselves or managed to catch trifling colds. Your 'talent for potions', as Albus put it, would be put to use there, making antidotes for those who are ill. Hermione nodded, and then looked at the instructions and ingredients for the potion they would be making. The two of them worked as silently as they could, the only talking being in the form of questions such as "Please pass the spider legs" (in Hermione's case), or "The ginsallis, Miss Granger" (in Snape's case).  
  
After successfully completing the first two steps of the complicated potion, Hermione headed back to her room to change for dinner. The students would be arriving within the hour, and she needed to look her best. Unfortunately, all Hermione could think about was the fact that if Snape was that bad without any students nearby, what would his mood be like once classes started? Dread filled her as she headed towards the Great Hall. 


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters. The story, however, is mine.  
  
A/N: Sorry that I haven't gotten another chapter up in so long, I've been very busy. I promise, Chapter 5 will be up soon. The revision of this chapter is due to some advice from Emily, who gave the inspiration to write this story. Much thanks to her and all my readers who are encouraging me to continue - it means a lot.  
  
On to the new (and hopefully improved) chapter 4!  
  
Hermione's alarm clock seemed to be abnormally loud as it woke her up. It was a Wednesday morning, two and a half weeks into the first term, and Hermione was finally beginning to get used to the castle again. She liked her job helping Madame Pomfrey, and was well praised for her antidotes and medical potions she had made. However, working with Severus was a different story. Hermione was having a rather difficult time keeping her temper around him, his cold attitude was so frustrating sometimes. Not that he was cruel to her, exactly, but he remained as stony and silent as ever, and made it very clear that her presence was only tolerated by him because he was forced to. She definitely enjoyed Madame Pomfrey's company much better, to be certain. With a sigh, Hermione finished getting ready and went down to breakfast, not feeling very enthusiastic about the day ahead.  
  
After a somewhat tiring day in the hospital wing, Hermione retired to her rooms and changed her clothes quickly, putting on a different set of robes to wear for her work with Snape. Arriving in the Potion's lab, Hermione joined Severus, greeted only by the usual silence that occurred in the room. "Good evening," she said softly, trying to break the uncomfortable silence.  
  
"Indeed, Miss Granger, may I ask what is so good about it?" Snape countered, in his usual sneering voice. Hermione's face dropped, but instead of feeling better, Severus noticed that he felt somewhat worse. Over the past two weeks, Hermione had shown him nothing but kindness and respect. As a matter of fact, she had not lost her temper with him at all, with the exception of the first day. Inwordly, Severus had grown to realize how mature and intelligent the girl had grown up to become, and he had not failed to notice that she seemed slightly less unattractive than she was as a child. Quite pretty, to tell the truth. Not that he would admit that to her or anyone else, he had a hard enough time admitting it to himself. "Today the Memondorian does not require a lot of physical work. However, it does require stirring every 20 minutes, and I would like to get some work done checking these essays that my Third years wrote. You may work on anything you feel necessary while the potion doesn't need stirring."  
  
Hermione nodded and quickly walked to her chambers and back with an enormous book that she had been reading. She settled down in an armchair and became immediately immersed with the book while Severus set a magical clock to warn them when the potion would need stirring. While he checked his papers, Snape couldn't help looking over at Hermione every now and then. She looked so pretty tonight.he didn't even know why. There was something about her eyes and face that just sparkled, even more so now that she was reading. Her cleverness astonished him, as she seemed to radiate more intelligence every day. Curiosity filled him as he wondered what she was reading, and he returned to the extremely horrible paper he was grading. Finally, Severus gave in and walked over to her. Sensing his presence, Hermione looked up, his dark eyes piercing her soul. "Yes.sir?" she asked, rather nervously.  
  
"I was wondering, Miss Granger, what you are reading," he said in a not quite pleasant, but much softer tone than he usually used.  
  
Hermione was quite taken aback by his sudden change in attitude. "Umm.the book is actually the Complete Works of William Shakespeare. He is a muggle author."  
  
"Oh yes, I have heard of him. I think I actually read one of his plays before, one called Hamlet. Have you read it?  
  
"No, I've only read A Midsummer Night's Dream, Othello, and Romeo and Juliet before. I'm re-reading Romeo and Juliet right now because its been quite a long time."  
  
A long conversation then took place between the two of them, with short breaks to stir the potion. Hermione was astonished at Snape's interest in the plays, and she preceeded to explain the plot of the play to him, eventually lending him the book so that he could read it himself. It was nearing midnight when Hermione finally looked at the time, realizing how late it was. As their conversation drew towards a close, Hermione finally got up the nerve to ask Severus the question she had been wondering about since the beginning of their conversation. "Professor...," she asked, "If I may ask, why have you been talking to me tonight? Usually the times we work together are so silent.and I had such an enjoyable time tonight." The moment she asked the question, Hermione knew it had been a mistake. The mood in the room darkened with Snape's face and the peace that the partners had found was immediately broken.  
"It is late, Miss Granger, and time you left. Close the door as you leave."  
  
Tears filled Hermione's eyes as she nodded slightly and left, his harsh sneer still very much alive in her mind. 


	5. Author's Note

Author's Note  
  
I am currently proofreading and revising some of the chapters I have already posted, and intend to change a few things, especially in Chapter 4. Please plan to stop back and reread this chapter, as things will be different. I'd like to thank the people who have written notes saying how much they enjoyed the story, it really makes my day when I get a review from somebody! I promise I'll have another chapter up soon. Also, special thanks to Emily, who originally gave me the inspiration to write this, and is currently helping me by giving me suggestions, ect. Check out her story, Dark Prince, author DiosaDeOrquesta, its truly excellent.  
  
Love to all of you, Sarah 


	6. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I only own the story here. JK Rowling owns everything else.I cannot believe she thought of it first!  
  
Author's Note: Chapter 5 is finally up. Thanks to all my reviewers who asked me to continue. I love reviews so please leave more!  
  
And here is your long-awaited Chapter 5  
  
Staying in bed seemed like an excellent idea to Hermione the next morning. She had never played hooky in her life, and yet the thought of facing Severus Snape again made her feel physically ill. They had been so close to a friendship, and she'd ruined it. Giving into her temptation, Hermione pulled the covers back over her head. It was useless to try and befriend Snape. Completely useless. Several minutes later she managed to send a note to Dumbledore saying that she had a migraine and had brewed herself a healing potion, but would need to stay in bed for the remainder of the day. Reading it over, she knew Dumbledore wouldn't buy it, but right then she didn't care. All she wanted to do was go back to her old life, and leave all thoughts of the Potions professor behind.  
  
The next morning, Hermione again woke up and didn't want to leave her bedroom. Although most of her mind was engaged upon feeling sorry for herself, a small part in the back of it knew that Snape would only think less of her if she didn't show up today. And that would be truly hard to bear. Sighing, she pulled back the sheets and looked dismally around the room, her day looking to be as bleak as the stormy outdoors.  
  
After a busy day in the hospital wing, Hermione slowly headed down to the dungeons. Upon walking in, she found Snape bent over the potion, stirring quickly. She walked quietly so as not to disturb him, knowing that if she caused him to make a mistake, his wrath would expand beyond known proportions. For what seemed to her like eternity, he stirred the potion without acknowledging her presence. Finally, he looked up, his eyes piercing into hers. "Good evening, Miss Granger."  
  
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Severus looked into the young woman's face for the first time since she had come into the room several minutes ago. The expression on it surprised him. Although he could tell she was trying her best to look in control and stay grounded, her eyes and face showed fear. 'How ironic,' he thought to himself. He had been trying to scare her for so long, and none of his intimidation methods had worked. Now, after so much of his precious time had been spent working on it, the fear was finally in her mind, and, for some reason, It was not comforting to him. True, he had not wanted a partner when Dumbledore had first suggested it to him. But now.things were different now. Yesterday the potions lab was filled with a silence that stood in the air as stone. He had received an owl from Dumbledore, who's intuitive nature was again almost too much to bear. In his scrawly writing, Dumbledore had stated that Hermione would not be assisting him today because of her severe migraine, and that Severus was advised to watch what he said to her from then on. Nothing could get past that man, nothing. The relief that Severus had expected from his return to solidarity did not come as he thought it would that day, instead another well-known emotion consumed him fully. Loneliness was something Snape had never dealt well with, and probably never would. Although he would never admit it out loud, Severus missed Hermione. More than anybody could ever imagine.  
  
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"Good evening, Professor," Hermione answered softly, attempting to keep her gazes away from his face. "What do we need to do today?"  
  
"I have just stirred the potion for five minutes, and it will not require another stirring for half an hour. Yesterday was the most complicated day the potion required, and your absence did not improve the matter here," he answered coldly.  
  
"I thought you did not need my help here, Professor. You told me so yourself when we first started working here," she answered, slightly more confidently than she felt.  
  
Realizing the conflict he had just caused, Severus turned away, pretending to be interested in the ingredients on the counter to his right.  
  
"Don't turn away from me!" Hermione cried, suddenly angered. "Why do you try so hard to make me feel unwanted and un-needed, and then try to make me feel guilty for not showing up? Why do you try to intimidate me, scare me away? Is it so hard to simply be courteous? Do you not see how god-damn hard this is for me too? I'm away from the people I care about, stuck here in a dungeon working with a man who wants nothing but to be rid of me! And I'm fucking sick of it! So either let me in, or let me go, but do not mix the signals up, as you seem to have already done. Let me help you or I'm through."  
  
Shocked by her words, all Severus could do was stare at her for a moment. His mind seemed to be having a battle of sorts. She was so angry now, only an apology could make her stay. And apologizing was what Snape was worst at; he never could find the words to say. A selfish prideful voice inside his head told him to just let her walk out the door and to continue the potions by himself. However, from the constant work the day before, and the plaguing loneliness, every other part of his body knew what had to be done. He had to express regret. "I.I am sorry, Miss Granger. Your work here has been useful, and your company has been.for the most part.pleasant. Please accept this as an apology for my behavior both today and for everyday that we have been working together. I do wish you to remain my partner, because Albus was right, I cannot do this alone. As for me letting you in.you do not want to know about me, and my life. Please do not attempt to get involved in it, as knowledge would only cause pain to you and others."  
  
Hermione nodded, surprised by his kind apology. "Yes, sir, I will not ask questions. And I would like to stay here and do potions, if you are entirely sure my presence does not offend you."  
  
"It doesn't."  
  
"Alright, then." The rest of the night went by smoothly, as Hermione read again and Severus checked papers. Eventually Hermione got ready to take her leave, as the hour was nearing midnight. "Goodnight, Professor."  
  
"There is no need for you to address me as Professor; I no longer hold that role in regards to you. I would feel more comfortable if you would call me Severus."  
  
"Yes.Severus. You may also call me Hermione, Miss Granger seems horribly formal. Goodnight, then," answered a pleasantly surprised Hermione.  
  
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From that evening on, Hermione and Severus formed an unsaid truce. Over the next few weeks, their time together was spent in an almost pleasant manner, civil to say the least. Although the ever-growing friendship was never acknowledged and did not interfere with the progress of their work, both parties somehow felt its presence. Conversations spawned between them, sometimes for hours until both were feeling the effects of fatigue ending the temporary bond.  
  
At nearly 10:00 at night on a Thursday evening in mid-November, Hermione and Severus were deep in the midst of one such conversation. Having finished the Memondorian the day before, the partners could allow distractions such as speaking, not having anything to ruin. Usually their conversation only covered topics deemed "safe", such as books, music, the weather, and other somewhat noncontroversial subjects. This night was not the case, however, as Hermione and Severus' conversation led to the more personal subject of family.  
  
Hermione was curled up in an armchair by the fire in Severus' office, warmth flooding her body as she talked with him. Their conversation had begun on the topic of next potion they would be making, Pupilibulum. Again, the process and ingredients of this undertaking were complicated, but restoring eyesight to those who were blind seemed worth the effort of several weeks work. During their conversation, Hermione mentioned that she had told her mother of the next potion they were making, and expressed her mom's pride that they had successfully completed the Memondorian.  
  
"Do you communicate with your mother often?" Snape asked, truly curious as to Hermione's family life.  
  
"I write to them every week and visit them by floo on weekends about once a month. They like to hear how I'm doing every now and then, seeing as I'm their only child. They have always had high expectations for me, and are pleased to see me accomplishing them. What about you? Do you have a family?" she asked, rather apprehensively.  
  
"Yes, I write to my parents about once a month and visit a couple times a year, probably not as often as I should. I am also an only child, and my parents had similar expectations from me as yours did for you. As much as I've tried to please them though, mistakes I've made in my past will always disappoint them, and that is something I cannot erase from my mind or theirs."  
  
"You mean becoming a Death Eater?" Hermione asked, hardly daring she had the nerve to say it. Severus shot her a look, though it was hard for her to read it. It seemed to be a combination of surprise and regret, though there seemed to be a hint of anger there that made Hermione shrink slightly.  
  
"Yes. That was the worst decision of my life. But I do not want to talk about this now, could we please change the subject?" he asked, carefully avoiding the touchy question.  
  
"Of course," answered Hermione, pleased that he hadn't yelled at her. Though the subject had ended abruptly and had been rather short-lived, she felt closer to him than she had ever been before. All that she could think about was the man sitting next to her, and his dark and secretive past. 


	7. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: As you all know, I am not JK Rowling. I do not own Harry Potter or any of the characters. I am only borrowing them for a while, and I will return them safely and soundly when I am through.  
  
A/N: Well, here it is, the chapter you've all been waiting for. I think I will finally begin the romance in this chapter, though it might take a few more for it to earn its R-rating. If you are a new reader to the story, and are not fond of student-teacher romances, then this is not the story for you. You should have left by now, but if you haven't, please calmly and quietly exit by pushing the X button on the upper right-hand corner of your screen. Thank you.  
  
I'd like to thank all my reviewers, I always get excited when I get emails saying I've got new reviews, so please leave many. I intend to provide deeper interaction between Hermione and Severus in this chapter, and I hope to make it considerably longer than the past few, as I realize that they were fairly short.  
  
Anyways, on with Chapter 6!  
  
Hermione walked to her private chambers that evening, emotion that she hadn't felt in years washing over her. True, her conversation with Severus hadn't gotten all that intimate, but for the first time, he let her deeper into his soul than she had ever been allowed before. Up close, she noticed that he wasn't the ugly, greasy git that she had thought him to be, he was better looking than she had known, with deep brown eyes, and hair that looked like sleek strands of silk against his pale face. 'Stop it!' she thought to herself, in consternation. 'He's twice your age and to him you are just his young work partner. His former student and that is all. If he even thinks of you as somewhat of a friend, he will never consider be more. Ever.' Weeks past, and Hermione had to remind herself many times of that fact, as the pair grew ever closer, and their interactions somewhat more personal.  
  
December 12th brought the first snow to Hogwarts that year. It had come in the night, and by morning the grounds were covered in a thick blanket of white, the sun's rays reflecting off it, casting light throughout the castle. That afternoon, Severus and Hermione decided to go to Hogsmeade with the students, needing a few potions ingredients. The outing had been Hermione's idea, Severus claiming he would rather be subjected to the Cruciatus curse than mingle among students in the town. However, after Hermione pointed out that waiting an extra day would delay their potion's development, Severus finally agreed to accompany her, knowing that her logic was undeniable. After all, the potion Snelper could only be started on the night of the new moon, and since that was to occur that evening, they would be forced to wait another month to start the potion if they did not seize their chance then. Walking up and down the streets of Hogsmeade with her, Severus could not argue that the day was pleasant enough. The sun was shining, and although it was a bit cold, that was to be expected from the winter season. Hermione's wit and intelligence kept him amused, and he was amazed to admit that he was having a great time. Upon stopping in the potions shop (which of course was deserted of students, none of whom feeling studious that afternoon), the two bought their potion supplies and continued down the somewhat crowded streets of Hogsmeade. They decided to return to the castle before the students did to avoid the rush, and removed their dripping coats and winter garments in his chambers, hanging them in front of the fire to dry while Severus and Hermione began preparations for their potion. While waiting for darkness to fall, Severus conjured some hot cocoa for them both to drink, and they sat in front of the fire, warming their bodies from the cold outdoors.  
  
"Well, Hermione, I feel it my duty to say that I truly had an enjoyable time this afternoon. Although Hogsmeade was still a bit too crowded for my taste, your company made it more pleasant than the previous times I have been there," Severus said softly, looking into her eyes somewhat deeply.  
  
Hermione raised her eyes slightly, hardly daring to believe what she had just heard come out of her Professor's mouth. "Thank you.Severus," she answered, a smile forming on her face and a small laugh escaping her throat.  
  
"Are you laughing at me, Miss Granger?" Snape asked, somewhat bewildered by the smile forming on his own lips.  
  
Nodding, she answered, "Yes, I am. In all the years I have known you, I have never heard you offer a compliment to anybody.I was just surprised that it was me you decided to bestow one upon. I'm not only laughing at you though, I was also laughing at myself. For all this time, I had this grudge built up against you, feeling that you were cruel and angry. Now I see that I didn't know you at all."  
  
"Perhaps that is best. I have always tried to keep people away, so they would not be hurt or disappointed in me, and it has worked up until now. You, however, seem to have broken down my defenses. I do not know how you do it.or why you want to know me better."  
  
"You are a mystery to everyone, an uninviting stranger who will not let people in. Is that not reason enough for me to be curious? I think, Severus, that you are too worried about others may think. People can surprise you sometimes. Would it truly kill you to talk to someone, tell them your past and your thoughts?" Hermione asked gently, trying not to anger him with her words.  
  
"You flatter me, child, in saying that there is a person out there who cares enough to desire my trust."  
  
"But there is! Severus, you know that I would not tell another soul if you wished me to keep some information a secret. We've been working together for months, and yet you are still so guarded around me, why will you not let me in?"  
  
"Because I do not wish to hurt you! Hermione, I am not an innocent man. I've done terrible things in my lifetime, terrible things before you were even born! I did not want you to be my partner at first; I have always been used to solitude and find it comfortable. But you came in here, confident and so god-damn intelligent, and you broke down my defenses. You were not afraid of me anymore, and it scared me to think of the power you possessed. Although you may know everything about potions and every subject a book was ever written on, you know nothing of my past. Why do you want me to relive it for you, so that you can be repulsed by my sins and never want to see me again? Is that what you want? Because that isn't my wish. Your company has done me wonders, and I do not want to lose the friendship that I have finally received after thirty-eight years of life! But even more than my selfish wishes.I do not want to hurt you."  
  
Shocked by his sudden passionate outburst, Hermione remained still for several minutes straight. After nearly a quarter of an hour of awkward silence, Hermione stood up. "It is nightfall now, and time we began the potion. Where are the instructions?"  
  
Severus walked over to the table sitting across the room, and handed her a book. "They're in here. Those spider legs need to be chopped, and the ginsallis needs to be brought to a boil. I will prepare the frog spleen."  
  
The partners worked somewhat silently for several hours that night, their only communication in regards to the potion. Finally, Severus looked up after adding the last of the dragon's eye and said softly "That is the last ingredient we will need to add for several days. The potion needs to cool overnight, and tomorrow morning I will start it simmering again."  
  
"Alright," said Hermione, somewhat shyly. "I guess I'll be leaving then."  
  
Severus watched as she turned to leave, his heart panging him with every step she took. Finally he gave in. "Hermione!" he said softly, looking at her with a somewhat pained expression.  
  
She turned to face him, bewildered by his tone and expression. "Yes, Severus?" she asked her voice matching his in volume.  
  
"I was wondering.did you mean it when you said that you wanted me to let you in?" he asked cautiously, worrying that perhaps she had changed her mind.  
  
"Yes, of course I did! I still do, but you spoke so strongly earlier that I thought you mind was set not to tell me. Severus, I know you were a Death Eater, many years ago. I know that you did terrible things in your past, but I also see that you are now ashamed of them. You regret what you did, and although that can never change the past, it shows me that you truly are a good person. Knowing your past would never change my opinion of the man you have become now, a man whom I have more respect for than he could ever know."  
  
It took a moment for her words to sink in, and when they did, Severus inhaled deeply and walked towards her. In just a few strides, he was less than a foot away from her, and he outstretched his hand towards her face. For a brief moment, Hermione was afraid he was going to slap her, but relief soon set in as he placed his hand on her cheek, caressing it gently before entwining his fingers in her hair. His dark eyes pierced hers, and he began his story.  
  
"I was a lonely child. All while I was growing up, and even when I came here to school, I never had any friends. Preferring school work to Quidditch, girls, and all other activities, people thought me strange, and I was constantly made fun of. There was only one person who made any effort to get to know me better.a young woman named Lily Evans. Yes, Harry's mother," he said softly, seeing the surprised look upon her face. "She stood up for me when I was on the receiving end of cruel tricks and pranks, talked to me in the halls, even asked me to go to Hogsmeade with her once. I loved her...God, I loved her so much. Well, while this was all going on, Lord Voldemort was quickly rising, and his supporters were multiplying faster than you could imagine. Since every one of the known Death Eaters was in Slytherin, it was considered the 'evil house', and every one of its students was seen as Death Eaters in training. Well, one of the other students in my house, named Basir Hellich, told Lily that I was a Death Eater, and since she was muggle-born, it was all part of an elaborate part to kill her. That vicious piece of gossip bestowed fear upon her, and the next day she broke up with me. James Potter had always admired her, and offered her protection and comfort in his arms. Six months later, they were a steady idem. Angry and hurt, I joined Lord Voldemort later that year. He offered me power, and his followers gave me a kind of companionship I had never known. But those years were the worse of my life.ones that I will regret until the day I die. Hermione.I am not an innocent man. I've seen and done terrible things. I've murdered people of all ages, women, and children. I've raped girls younger than you.watched them struggle in agony and laughed as they suffered. Afterwards, I killed them. Do you really want to be friends with somebody who has done all those things?" he asked, looking into her eyes, a pained expression on his face.  
  
"Severus, you changed. I know what Death Eaters did, I have been friends with Harry my entire life, and he's filled me in on some of the horrors he'd seen. You've got a past, yes, but you're not like that anymore. Something inside you long ago made you turn back on our side, and you were a key factor in helping us defeat Voldemort. You pledged your life to helping people like me, a muggle-born, survive. That is the man that I am befriending, not the Death Eater," answered Hermione. "The only thing I don't understand is why it's taken you twenty years to say this to someone."  
  
"At first I didn't let people in for safety reasons - mine and theirs. During my period as a spy for the Order of the Phoenix, within the Death Eaters, it was necessary to be anti social. Getting too close to people allowed me a weakness, something that I could not have. What if the Death Eaters had killed that person? My pain and remorse would be easily read by them, and I would have been exposed. No, emotional attachment, to anybody, was a danger to myself and others. Afterwards, I didn't think that I deserved people to care about me, the good deeds I've done in my lifetime do not outweigh the bad."  
  
"Voldemort is dead, Severus. He has been for two years, and all of the Death Eaters are dead or imprisoned. You no longer need to live in fear of the life of yourself or anybody else. So please, I beg of you. If I am willing to overlook your past and see the man that you are inside, will you learn to live in the present, and come to terms with your past?"  
  
"I suppose I can try. But you must be patient with me. Hermione.I just don't want to hurt another person, especially not you."  
  
"Just trust in what your heart says, don't think so much. My heart says that I want to be closer to you," answered Hermione, feeling swept up in the passion of the room.  
  
"Yes. However, it is now very late, and I am sure you need your rest. I will see you tomorrow, then?" he asked, nervously avoiding the romantic reference in her words.  
  
"Of course. Goodnight, Severus," answered Hermione, somewhat disappointed.  
  
"Goodnight, Hermione," he replied gently, watching quietly as she left the room. 


	8. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harry Potter characters. I'm sure you all know this by now.  
  
A/N: Ok, this chapter will contain the romance you've all been waiting for. I promise!  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Severus Snape was woken up at 5 am on Monday morning by an owl frantically tapping on his window, trying desperately to get in. Muttering obscenities, Severus forced himself out of bed to let the creature in before it went through cardiac arrest (if owls could have heart attacks, he wasn't exactly sure). It wasn't until the owl had dropped a letter at his feet that he got a closer look at it. The tawny bird was his parents' owl, Quibble. Imagining that it was only his parents' pleas for him to come home and visit that woke him so early, Severus reluctantly opened the letter and read it.  
  
"Severus,  
Your father is very sick, and the remedies that the healers are using are not working. We fear this might be the end. Come home as quick as possible. I cannot get through this alone.  
Love,  
Mother"  
  
Dropping the letter, Severus yanked on some robes and ran to Dumbledore's office.  
  
An hour later, Hermione was woken up by her alarm clock, which told her that somebody was standing outside her bedroom door. Wondering who could be needing her so early on a Monday morning, she threw on her pink bathrobe and answered her door. Opening it, she found Severus waiting somewhat impatiently, and flushed at his seeing her in this disheveled state. He wore a troubled look, but it was not his usual sneering one, no, this look was more of the upset and nervous variety. Concerned, she took no time in asking, "Severus! What's wrong? Please come in."  
  
Impatiently stepping through the door, Severus looked at her. "Hermione, my father is very ill and I received an owl from my mother this morning requesting my immediate return home. She fears today might be his last, as the remedies that the healers are making do not seem to be improving his status. I have already spoken to Dumbledore, requesting to take a leave of absence, and I will not have my students slacking off while I am gone. Therefore, I am requesting that you teach my classes until I return - you are more informed on the subject than anybody else I know. Albus says that Madame Pomfrey can do without you for however long I am gone. Will you do this for me?"  
  
For a moment Hermione did not even consider the enormous compliment that Severus had just paid her. Instead, all that she could think about was how much she wanted to help him. "Of course, Severus. If there is anything else that I can do, please tell me. I'm so sorry.I hope he gets better." Without another thought, Hermione rushed towards him and threw her arms around his neck, pulling him into a kind embrace.  
  
Shocked by her impulsive movement, Severus patted her back and smiled grimly at her. "Thank you, Hermione. It is very much appreciated. My notes are inside my desk, they include what we have covered so far and future lesson plans. I shall remain in contact with both you and Dumbledore, either by owl or floo. But I must be going now. Goodbye."  
  
"Goodbye." Having said that, he left, briskly walking towards the door of the castle. Hermione watched him through her window, as he walked out of the building and towards the Forbidden Forest, where she knew he would disapparate. Sighing, she turned back towards her room, quickly showering and dressing, and then walked towards the Great Hall to get some breakfast.  
  
After breakfast, Hermione strode through the dungeons until she finally got to the one that Snape held class in. Reminiscing, Hermione remembered all the days in her childhood when she had hated Severus Snape with all of her heart. She would never have guessed that just a few years later she would be teaching in his classroom, as a favor to him, no less. Opening his desk, she found his papers neatly organized inside his top drawer and pulled them out, reading over all the recent activities of his classes.  
  
The first class that morning was a 4th year Gryffindor/Slytherin mix. Hermione prepared herself for a lot of trouble, knowing that if the class was anything like hers had been it would certainly be difficult to control. As the class filed in and sat down, she immediately knew she was correct in her assumptions, seeing the familiar bickering among the students. She stood up, and the class quieted down. "Good morning. For those of you who don't know me, I am Hermione Granger, the Potions mistress in this school, Professor Snape's assistant, as well as Madame Pomfrey's. I will be teaching this class while Professor Snape is away on personal business. I am not a Professor, so you needn't address me as such, you may call me Ms. Granger. Today we will be brewing a Lengthening potion. When you are finished, please come up to the desk with a sample of your potion and I will test it on an object on my desk." Turing, she wrote the ingredients on the chalkboard and let them get to work. Walking around the classroom, she helped students who were struggling and praised others on good work. Knowing Severus, his pupils probably didn't get enough of that in his classroom. This class was difficult however. The Slytherin students, who liked Professor Snape, were cold and unresponsive to her, whereas the Gryffindors seemed to be all too excited at her presence. Although their attitude was much more favorable than that of the Slytherins, some of their comments angered her. Towards the back of the room, a young boy muttered to his partner, "The class is nice with her. I wish we could have Miss Granger all the time instead of that bastard Snape." Hermione's first instinct was to let it go, remembering Ron saying about the same thing in her day, but another part of her, that knew Snape better, felt it was backstabbing to allow others to treat him with such disrespect. Turning abruptly, she walked towards the student. "What is your name?"  
  
"Kevin Lawson" answered the boy in a slightly apprehensive tone.  
  
"Kevin, I had the misfortune to overhear a comment you just made which showed blatant disrespect to Professor Snape. I will not take away points this time, but I want you and the rest of the class to treat this as a warning. You will never show anything less than a respectful attitude towards your Professor in front of me."  
  
"Sorry, ma'am"  
  
Having said that, Hermione walked back to her desk and began testing potions. It was going to be a long day.  
  
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Severus walked in the door of the large manor his family owned, dropping his bag on the floor. Immediately the family's house elf, Dottie, came up to him. The family had freed her long ago, but for some reason the elf had continued to serve them, and neither he, nor his parents, had complained about the arrangement. "Good morning, Sir. It is so nice to see you. Mistress is at St. Mungo's hospital with your father, and she told me to ask you to come as soon as you got in. Before you leave, though, Sir, would you like some tea, or anything to eat?" squeaked Dottie.  
  
"No, thank you Dottie. I will go to see my father now. Please take good care of my bag, I do not wish anything to be broken."  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
Immediately, Severus apparated and appeared at St. Mungo's hospital. Stopping at the front desk, he hastily inquired after the whereabouts of his father, and the woman working there informed him of the room number. After weaving through the people and getting through all the wizard security, Snape finally arrived at room 724 and ½. Immediately his mother saw him and rushed over to hug her son. "Severus! You've come.and not a moment too soon. The new potion they've tried has failed as well.everyone is beginning to lose all hope." With those words she broke down, crying softly into his robes.  
  
Severus sighed and gently patted her head. "Mother, please. I will do whatever possible to make sure he gets through this." Just then an older woman came in and began inspecting his father, taking his vitals. "Excuse me, I am Radcliff Snape's son, the Potions Master at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry," he told the healer. I want to know the exact potions that you have administered my father, and at what times. I'd also like to speak to a qualified healer and know exactly what my father's illness is." As he hoped, the firmness in his words led to an immediate response.  
  
"Yes, sir. We believe your father is suffering from an Ischemic Cascade, more commonly known as a stroke, especially by Muggles. Mr. Snape here seems to be suffering from the worst of it, having seizures, cranial swelling, and he seems to be getting blood clots. We have so far tried the Hemorrian potion, and Clopidogrel, and neither seem to be making any difference. We are truly sorry, but I must urge you to prepare yourself. It is quite likely that Radcliff will not make it through the night."  
  
After nearly 8 hours at the hospital with the healers trying every spell and potion they could think of, Regina Snape urged Severus to return to the family home, eat something, and get settled in for a few nights, promising that she would immediately contact him should there be any change. Reluctantly, Severus agreed, knowing that instead of eating, he needed to speak with someone that he knew could and would help if anybody could. Upon arriving at the manor, he threw some floo powder into the fire and placed his head in, calling out "Hermione Granger's chambers". Immediately he found his head inside her fireplace, hoping that she would be nearby.  
  
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Hermione had suffered from a very long day, teaching Severus' classes. Not only was she not used to teaching, not going to the potions lab that evening was a shock to her. Surprised by the amount of free time she possessed, instead of enjoying it, all she could think about was how much she missed him. Curling up by the fire that evening, she started reading a book that Harry had given her for her birthday in September. Because of her incredibly busy schedule, she hadn't even opened the cover yet. However, her mind was much engaged elsewhere and she could not concentrate at all. Just as she was ready to give up her efforts and just go to bed, she heard a familiar ringing in her fireplace. Looking up, she saw Severus' head pop into her room. Gasping, she ran over. "Severus! How are you? Is your father alright?"  
  
"I am tolerable under the circumstances, and no, my father is steadily declining. You have done so much for me already and I hate to ask people favors and rely on their goodwill. But I have no choice; this may be my father's last chance. Hermione.I need you now. The healers believe my father has had a stroke. They've tried multiple spells, and several potions." He listed all the names to her, and she wrote them down on a sheet of paper. Please - try and remember everything that you know about strokes, and if you must, read some books or something. There might be a spell or potion that could save his life. If you find one.will you contact me, immediately?  
  
"Of course. I'll begin right now.I don't know much about strokes, but I'll go to the library and see what I can find out. Should I contact you at your home, or at the hospital?"  
  
"Try the hospital. The only fireplace with a floo connection is at the front office, ask the worker there to get me to come down, and we'll talk then. Tell her I'm in Radcliff Snape's room, number 724 ½. If I'm not there, then try the manor."  
  
"Alright."  
  
"And Hermione.thank you," said Snape before giving her a true smile and disappearing. Taking a deep breath, Hermione got up and headed for the library.  
  
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Ten hours and 6 books later, Hermione began another large book entitled Common Cranial and Cardiac Illnesses. Finding a chapter on strokes, Hermione read, her eyes blurring with exhaustion. She had spent the entire night reading in the library, and had not found a single cure that Snape hadn't already listed. Just as she was ready to give up, Hermione's eyes rested on a potion named Artilarius, which was supposed to be used in only the most severe cases of stroke. The ingredients were rare and obscure, and the directions were extremely complicated. It would take twelve hours to brew. Immediately Hermione ran downstairs to her room, knowing that with Severus' classes, it would be difficult to tend to the potion.  
  
Throwing floo powder into the fire, Hermione's head arrived at St. Mungo's hospital, and she asked the woman working at the front desk to fetch Severus. Several minutes later he showed up, almost running through the building, anxious to hear her progress.  
  
"Hermione! Have you found anything?" he asked, praying that the girl had discovered something.  
  
"Yes, I think so. It's a potion called Artilarius. You didn't list it with all the potions they've tried, and I think it might be worth a shot. It takes twelve hours to make, however, and it's got some of the most complicated ingredients I've ever seen. I think you've got them all though, in your private storeroom." Quickly she told him what the potion was supposed to do, regulate blood flow to the cranium from the aorta. "Do you want me to try it? I'm not sure what to do with your classes, though. I couldn't teach them while making this potion, it requires too much maintenance, and if I didn't start it until tonight it may be too late."  
  
"I never thought I'd say this.but cancel class. We need the potion as soon as possible. I'll contact Dumbledore and tell him to announce it to the students at breakfast."  
  
"Alright. I'll need to use some of your materials; I don't have all of them in my possession."  
  
"I don't care. The password to my store room is 'pewter'. Thank you for doing this."  
  
"Of course." With that, Hermione disappeared and went to begin the potion. Running down the stairs into the dungeons, she opened his closet, wondering if the password had been put there after the ingredients from his cupboard were stolen her second year, and pulled out the materials. Working hastily, but accurately and carefully, Hermione started the potion.  
  
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Twelve and a half hours later, Severus paced back and forth across his father's hospital room, hoping that the potion was going well, and waiting for a messenger to come and fetch him. The seconds ticked on the clock across the room, and each one seemed to last a decade. Finally a rustling noise at the door made Severus turn, and he found Hermione standing there. She looked tired, her face was pale and black circles had formed under her eyes. He knew that his pleas had caused her not to sleep all night, and that she probably hadn't eaten all day either. "Hermione!" he gasped, hurrying over to her.  
  
"I have the potion. I talked it over with a healer in the hall who said that she treated your father, and she agreed to let him take it, knowing that it may be his only chance. Here is a vial." She reached inside her cloak and pulled out a thick purple-tinted potion, handing it to him. Hermione then hurried over to his ailing father and helped him open his mouth. Gently she poured the drops down his throat and rubbed his throat to help him swallow. The healer had stepped in to watch the potion being administered, and she took his pulse once the entire potion had been swallowed. Gasping, she turned to the family and Hermione. "His pulse is getting stronger!" A quarter of an hour later, Radcliff was showing definite signs of improvement, and within a half hour, he opened his eyes and looked around, eventually responding to questions. After being hugged by Severus and Regina and informing Severus of the ingredients that she had used, Hermione decided to go and let the family get some peace.  
  
Once she was safely back inside Hogwarts, Hermione went straight to the kitchens and got some food from the house elves. She hadn't eaten for more than twenty-four hours, and she was starving. Once the food had satisfied her, she started to return to her rooms for some sleep, meeting Dumbledore in the hallway. "Hermione, I just wanted to congratulate you on the amazing task you just completed today. I know that you probably want some sleep, but I thought I'd tell you how much your work is appreciated. Thank you for helping him.what you did means more to him than he will ever say. Goodnight, Miss Granger."  
  
Inwardly wondering if the man truly knew everything, Hermione wished Dumbledore a good night and entered her chambers. Falling into the soft bed, she fell into a deep sleep.  
  
Severus stayed with his mother until his father was allowed to come back home, fully cured, and then returned to Hogwarts to reassume his teaching position. It was a Friday night when he returned, and after seeing Dumbledore and informing him that he was indeed back, the first place Severus headed was Hermione's chambers. He hadn't gotten much chance to speak with her at all since that day in St. Mungo's, and he wanted to fully thank her for all that she did. Knocking on her door, he found her in the same pink robe that she had been wearing on Monday morning.  
  
"Severus, you're back!" she cried, excited to finally see his face again. She had missed him terribly while he was gone.  
  
"Yes, my father came back home this afternoon. Can I come in?" he asked in a gentle tone that she had only recently gotten acquainted with.  
  
"Of course. You will be resuming your classes on Monday?"  
  
"If I must," he answered in a teasing sarcastic voice. "Were they any trouble for you?"  
  
"No, things went fairly smoothly for the most part. I hope you'll find that my teaching was satisfactory."  
  
"I'm sure it will be, and even if it is not by normal standards, you were facing numerous distractions as well, so those will give you vouchers. Hermione.I.I cannot describe my thanks for your help this week," he stuttered.  
  
"Severus Snape, speechless? That is enough thanks for me," she teased. No, seriously though, I would never have considered doing anything else."  
  
"But you did it for me.nobody has ever tried so much to help me as you have.  
  
"The fact that it was for you made me want to do it more. Severus.I'd do anything for you. Anything."  
  
Wondering if she'd meant what he thought she had, Severus took a step closer. "Do you mean that, Hermione?"  
  
"Of course I mean it. I want you to know.I love you, Severus. Ever since I came here I've been feeling it, but it wasn't until this past week that I truly realized that. I missed you while you were gone, missed you company, your sarcastic remarks, missed your presence in general. When I was given an opportunity to do something to help bring you back, to make you happy, I jumped at the chance. I didn't care about food or sleep because the thing I need the most is you." She stopped abruptly, looking into his face for a response.  
  
At first, there was none. His expression changed from blank, to disbelief, to joy, to uncertainty, and then back to disbelief, which he seemed to settle upon. "Hermione.are you positive that is what you want? I never want to hurt you, never."  
  
"I am certain."  
  
His face turned to pure joy, a look that she had seen only once before, that day at St. Mungo's. He looked down into her eyes and said softly, "I love you too. I have ever since you walked back in this building. If my age doesn't bother you, which it hasn't so far, then I'm willing to take this farther. I also have missed you this week.and I've wanted you ever since the beginning. Your intelligence stuns me everyday.and you look beautiful."  
  
At that, Hermione ran over and wrapped her arms around him. He pulled her chin up towards his face and gently placed his lips on hers. The emotion that washed through her then was unlike anything that she had ever felt, and she allowed his tongue entrance to her mouth, deepening the kiss. He let out a small moan as he tasted her, and she smiled.  
  
They stood there kissing for nearly half an hour, until exhaustion wore over both of them. Eventually they both sat down on her couch, and Severus pulled her into his arms. As the fire died, darkness cast over the room and the couple fell asleep in each other's arms. 


End file.
